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The Mission of the North Brunswick Humane Association is to provide education and guidance to our community in pet and wildlife issues through various community groups, civic organizations, and school boards for the purpose of enhancing quality of life for our pets, wildlife and residents. We also support endeavors that promote humane and protective services in the treatment of animals.

HAPPY 10th ANNIVERSARY NBHA

Courtesy of American Humane Association and MARS Petcare US, a tractor trailer filled with 40,000 pounds of emergency food and supplies designated for dogs and cats impacted by Hurricane Sandy will arrive in Bergen County 3 p.m. Thu., Nov. 8 at the Bergen County Animal Shelter and Adoption Center, 100 United Lane in Teterboro.

Food will be available for distribution from 9 am to 5 pm, November 9th, 10th and 11th. Target groups are shelters in need and rescue groups. Community groups must make arrangements to make a single pick-up for the total needs of the municipality.

Ryan and his family are watching TV one day and got the idea that on the day of Ryans 6th birthday party, guests are asked to bring something for the food bank, or the pet food bank. NBHA was the proud recipient of all the pet food for our Pet Food Bank.

Thank You Ryan for using your birthday as a way of helping others human and furry. You are setting an example how its never too early to start thinking about those in need.

Thank You Again

NBHA

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NORTH BRUNSWICK — The North Brunswick Humane Association (NBHA) is letting its members and supporters know that it will defer its long-term goal of building a no-kill animal shelter so it can fund spay-and-neuter programs in the area.

For the time being, the ambition of constructing a $2.5 million facility in Community Park will give way to short-term priorities such as funding its pilot “Spay Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP). Other ongoing programs will be funded as well, such as pet-food distribution for families, distribution of essential supplies used at local shelters and educational programs in elementary schools.

“We haven’t stopped our goal of Project Shelter — it’s just that right now with the level of donation and the state of the economy, it’s so far in the future that we need to do something a little more current,” NBHA Treasurer Vince Sheehan said.

In June 2009, North Brunswick Township passed a resolution to donate or lease, at minimal cost, public land for a 7,000-square-foot no-kill animal shelter. However, despite ongoing fundraising efforts, the humane association’s resources remain far shy of the estimated $2.5 million it would take to build the facility.

The NBHA reported a balance of $53,234.13 at its most recent meeting on June 13.

In light of this, the NBHA recently sent an open letter to the community of North Brunswick regarding Project Shelter, stating the decision to use some of the money raised for the shelter project to fund small grants for programs related to making sure that unwanted pets are not born in the first place.

Jay Soloway, president of the NBHA estimates that about $2,500 will be put toward funding the SNAP initiatives at several area shelters.

“Basically, we could see the writing on the wall,” Soloway said. “The community, the people, were behind us. The township was behind us. But money is a problem, especially in these times.

“We are not specially using funds that would be considered allocated for the Project Shelter. We never specifically earmarked funds for the shelter itself. And we still want to maintain funds that we can consider to be put toward Project Shelter when and if the time comes when we can focus on it.”

The North Brunswick Humane Association roughly estimates it will take another five to 10 years to save enough money to put up the $2.5 million needed. The 501(c)(3) organization, established in 2003, has about 85 members and meets at 7:30 p.m. on the second Monday of every month in the North Brunswick Municipal Building. Members of the community are welcome and encouraged to attend meetings.

“Anyone who has any questions can feel free to call us,” Soloway said. “We can explain to them what our philosophy is and why we’re going in somewhat of a different direction in the short term.”

As you may be aware, the North Brunswick Humane Association has long been working toward the goal of establishing a no-kill animal shelter in our community. While we have made some progress toward this goal, it has become clear that as a small, private, nonprofit, volunteer organization, the NBHA does not possess the resources needed to raise the millions that would be required to build and operate a shelter at this time. We have not abandoned this goal entirely, but we have made the decision to use some of the money that has been raised for the shelter project to fund some small grants toward programs related to making sure that unwanted pets are not born in the first place. The ongoing fundraising activities of the NBHA will continue to raise money to fund the pilot Spay Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP) as well as our other ongoing programs, such as pet food distribution for families in need of short-term assistance, collection and distribution of blankets, towels and supplies used at local shelters, and educational programs in elementary schools. In addition, NBHA helps out members of the community whenever possible. Most recently, we assisted with the search for a lost housecat, who fortunately did eventually find his way home. Several small grants are currently being considered for spay/neuter programs, which are directly compatible with the original purpose of the shelter program, in that a reduction in the population of unwanted and abandoned animals reduces the need for a shelter to house these animals. We are thankful to the many generous and caring members of our community who continue to support our organization, thereby helping us to continue to directly help animals in need.

The NBHA meets on the second Monday of every month from 7:30 p.m. to approximately 9 p.m. in the North Brunswick Municipal Building, 710 Hermann Road, in the conference room on the first floor. All members of our community are welcome and encouraged to attend our meetings at any time. Our president, Jay Soloway, can be reached via e-mail at JnMuttley2@aol.com. Our website is www.NorthBrunswickHumane.org.

We would like to give a special thanks to Brunswick Zone Carolier on US Highway 1 in North Brunswick for sponsoring our 2nd Bowl-a-Thon! Everyone had a great time, and if you missed this one, plans for our third Bowl-a-Thon are already in the works. Keep an eye on our events page for all of our upcoming events.

Please help NBHA in its goal to support rescues, shelters and animals in need, as well as their caregivers. Our programs fund the Spay Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP), pet food distribution for families in need of short-term assistance, collection and distribution of blankets, towels and supplies used at local shelters, and educational programs in elementary schools.